An Important Nantucket Scrimshaw Sperm Whale Tooth of the Ship Susan by Frederick Myrick (1808-1862), dated March 27, 1829; the obverse engraved with a broadside view of the full-rigged ship “Susan” under plain sail with three whaleboats lowered, whale with multiple spouts and a whale’s tail, banner above inscribed “The Susan amongst a school of whales” and a couplet below the ocean waves “Death to the living long live the killers / Success to sailors wives & greasy luck to whalers”, crossed American flags over rainbows at tip.; the reverse engraved with a starboard broadside view of a full-rigged ship under plain sail, hove-to with two whaleboats lowered, whale with two spouts and whale’s head jaw up. A banner above inscribed “The Susan boiling & killing sperm whales”, anchor near the tip; top edge engraved with spread winged eagle with shield clutching arrows and olive branches in talons, beak holding a banner amongst stars inscribed “E. Pluribus Unum” and “Ship Susan of Nantucket, March 27th 1829”, the lower edge inscribed with the initials “SCC”, serpentine vine encircles the base.
Length 5 ¾ in. Width at base 3 ¾ in.

Provenance: Descended in the Coffin-Somerby family of Nantucket and Boston to heirs in Florida; Exhibited by Leigh Keno, Inc. at the New York Winter antique Show, January 2000; acquired by Hyland Granby Antiques, Hyannisport, MA; thence to a private collector.

Literature: Frederick Myrick of Nantucket Scrimshaw Catalogue Raisonne, compiled by Donald E. Ridley, P.E., Edited by Stuart M. Frank, Ph.D. with research and forensic contributions by Paul Madden, Paul Vardeman and Janet West, published 2000.